MENIFEE: Walmart Supercenter vote draws praise and scorn

A Wal-Mart Inc. spokesman Wednesday praised Menifee voters for
passing a measure to allow a Supercenter while one city councilman
called the project a "cancer" that will threaten the area's rural
character.

According to semi-final results, 76 percent of the roughly
11,000 city voters who cast ballots Tuesday backed Measure C, a
ballot initiative that clears the way for a 205,000-square-foot,
24-hour Walmart Supercenter on a 30-acre site at the northwest
corner of Scott and Haun roads.

"We are extremely pleased that the vast majority of Menifee
voters expressed support for Measure C during (Tuesday's)
election," Wal-Mart spokesman Aaron Rios wrote in an email. "The
adoption of Measure C by such a large margin sends a strong message
that Menifee voters support bringing new jobs, revenue and
convenient one-stop shopping to their community."

Supporters said the project would bring affordable shopping,
jobs and millions in tax revenue along with $3.8 million in traffic
upgrades for the fledgling city. Critics contend the Supercenter
will hurt neighboring businesses.

Councilman Tom Fuhrman was disappointed with the vote.

"The people of this town have decided to put a cancer in the
middle of our lovely rural corridor," he said. "And that cancer
will slowly grow to consume all our nice rural properties."

Others on the five-member council support Wal-Mart.

"People don't want to go to Hemet or Murrieta or Perris to shop
at Walmart," Councilwoman Darcy Kuenzi said Tuesday night.

Some critics said it's not wise to build a massive shopping
center near an already-congested bridge spanning Interstate 215.
Mayor Wallace Edgerton has said a traffic nightmare will ensue if
the Supercenter opens before the Scott Road bridge is expanded.

The Riverside County Department of Transportation has secured
about $10 million of the $50 million needed for an expansion of the
overpass from three to 11 lanes.

Officials estimate bridge upgrades and freeway ramps would be
done by August 2013 at the earliest, if money becomes
available.

In gaining the Menifee Planning Commission's approval, Wal-Mart
agreed to delay opening the store until January 2013.

Wal-Mart took the unusual step of gathering signatures to take
its project to the voters. Wal-Mart formed a special committee,
Menifee Consumers for Choice, to advocate Measure C's passage. The
committee spent at least $260,000 on campaign mailings, legal and
consulting fees and other expenses.

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